British motorists who drive their cars abroad are being urged take care, as Admiral reveals the number of overseas insurance claims it has dealt with has risen 160% in the last five years.

With millions of Brits taking their car abroad each year, the car insurance specialist has identified the most common destinations for accidents as part of its new campaign to ensure drivers have a safe summer, including advice and tips for those who have accidents on their road trips.

The study of Admiral insured drivers by the insurer looked at ten years of motor accidents abroad and shows Londoners aged 30-39 and driving a VW Golf in France are the most likely to have an accident whilst driving oversees. The most common type of car to be involved in an accident abroad is a BMW (11%) followed by a Volkswagen (9%) and the Audi (9%).

Over the last ten years, drivers aged 30-39 have made the most driving abroad car insurance claims (30%), followed by those aged 40-49 (24%). Interestingly, drivers aged 20-29 accounted for 19% of accidents.

When it comes to who’s at fault for the accidents, the 2016 data shows British drivers insured with Admiral were responsible for 51% of accidents abroad claimed for while the most common month is August, the height of summer. In 2016, a quarter of all claims for driving accidents abroad were made in the month of August.

Commenting on the figures, Lorna Connelly, head of Claims at Admiralsaid: “Driving abroad is a great way to have the freedom to explore new places, withoutthecost of flights. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be a really enjoyable experience, but just as accidents can happen at home, they can happen abroad too, and different laws and languages can cause additional stress.

“To ensure an accident doesn’t ruin your holiday we’re calling on all drivers to make sure they’re well informed, so if the worst should happen, they are properly prepared. You can do this by having the right documentation on you, by being aware of the rules of the road in the country you’re visiting and finally by knowing what to do and where to report details of any accidents.”